EDINBURGH 2022: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING...EARNEST?

BWW catches up with cast member and 'Say It Again, Sorry?' founder Rhys Tees about bringing The Importance of Being...Earnest? to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about The Importance of Being... Earnest.

The importance of being...Earnest? is a wonderfully chaotic twist on a classic piece of theatre. What seems like a regular production of Oscar Wilde's classic, suddenly descends into madness when the leading actor doesn't show up for his cue and is promptly replaced by a willing member of the audience. As the show goes on, more and more of the original cast members are removed from the stage for various reasons and are all replaced by members of the audience, saving the show, and becoming a part of theatre magic! It's truly a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of both for those on stage and in the audience.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

The Edinburgh Fringe has always been THE place to be for new and brave ideas in theatre and with this show being as mad a concept as it is, Edinburgh just feels like the right atmosphere for our wacky interpretation of 'Earnest'. The Fringe also has such a wonderful network of other artists and creatives and is a great hub for collaboration, which ultimately is what our company, 'Say It Again, Sorry?' Is all about!

How involved do the audience get?

I mean I wouldn't be lying when I say that without the audience the show literally can't happen. The audience play a humongous role throughout the whole show. We have them up on stage acting alongside us, having sword fights, playing piano in the background of scenes, and so much other stuff. We're even holding open rehearsals before we go up to Edinburgh, where anyone can come along and observe/get involved with the creative process of the show itself! The audience are with us every step of the way so as I said before, without them, the show literally cannot happen!

Who would you like to come and see it?

Everyone and anyone! If you're a fan of classic theatre but bored of seeing the same old productions, then this is for you! If you've always fancied having a crack at being on stage but never had the opportunity this is for you! If you're someone who normally is anxious about audience interaction but wants to give it a go this is for you! There's something for everyone in this show and the beauty of it is you literally get to be a part of what makes the show so magical. There's the potential in this show to walk away with some truly fantastic memories and we just think that's wonderful!

What is the company's vision for the public?

Ultimately, we as a company always strive to connect people to their inner artist and want to share the glory of creativity with others so that they can apply it in their everyday life.

We want to provide a fun but safe environment for the public to not only explore their creative potential but also to inspire and fill them with the confidence to get out there and make stuff if they want to. We also really want to smash down the boundary between the audience and the show so we can truly make theatre accessible to everyone. Theatre should be about playing at the end of the day so if we can actively encourage the public to come play with us, we think we can slowly break down these old walls. If we can manage to do all that then I think our mission will be complete!

Photo credit: Dylian Silk

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